Hopelessly Yours in Hollywood
by Darkalley29
Summary: Post-ep for Hollywood A.D.
1. Chapter 1

Rating: M for adult situations to come in later chapters

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters. They are all the property of Chris Carter.

Summary: Post-ep for Hollywood A.D.

Chapter 1 – "Want to Go See a Movie?"

When he felt her hand slip into his, Mulder was momentarily surprised. He covered it quickly, squeezing her small, soft, warm hand gently, but his mind kept racing and his heart thumped erratically. Scully had actually reached for his hand! She normally never did that. It was typically the other way around. He was consistently the one reaching for her - whether it be placing his hand on her back to guide her into a door or touching her face, stroking her soft skin, and soothing her cuts and bruises, or, recently, something more. He had been the first to lean in for a kiss after the ball dropped last New Year's. She had been willing, he didn't doubt that, but he had had to initiate the contact. Even the night that they spent together several weeks ago but had not spoken of since, he had been the one who reached for her. She had given him the "go ahead" sure. Actually, she was the one who suggested it. But he had been the one who had to get things going. With most women, he couldn't have cared less. But with Scully, it was different. She could be hard to read, and their relationship (whatever it was) was literally everything to him. More than she even seemed to realize. He didn't want to push her away by being too aggressive, too forward.

Scully glanced at Mulder out of the corner of her eye. Her chest felt full of self consciousness and his uncharacteristic silence was intensifying that sensation. His hand felt so warm and strong wrapped around hers. She marveled at the sense of security she felt even in this simple gesture. Despite that comfort, her mind raced. Was he holding her hand out of duty, because she had reached for it? Or was he as content and happy as she was when they were close? His face gave away nothing, but his silence worried her as they walked off the sound stage. Speeding up his stride to get there first, Mulder deftly grabbed the handle to the glass door of the studio, holding it open for her, but, Scully noted with delight, not letting go of her hand.

Outside, the evening was cool. A soft wind ruffled fallen leaves, skimming past the agents' shoes as they walked down the rows of cars in the studio parking lot. The silence between them was awkward, both lost in thoughts of one another, but neither wanting to acknowledge it.

Mulder unlocked the door of their rental car and held it for Scully. He released her hand, moving his to the small of her back, guiding her into her seat. His hand was warm even through her jacket and she felt a stab of annoyance at the fluttering in her stomach. Partner, partner, partner, she kept chanting, as if to remind herself. It was hard, given all they had been through, to see him only that way. Visions of the night they spent together flashed through her mind. The feeling of his strong body against hers, the way they seemed to fit together so naturally, how intense the sensations and emotions had been. Scully had had sex before, but nothing like that. Nothing that intense. When she had offered herself to him, she had done so for relief mostly, at least that is what she was telling herself at the time. To end the sexual tension that had been driving her crazy for longer than she cared to admit. She had gotten to the point where she had to know how he felt, how he tasted . . .

Despite the intensity of their lovemaking that night, they had not spoken of it in the following weeks. She had left before he had woken, dreading the potential for awkwardness if they woke up together in the morning. When they saw each other at work the next day, he acted as if nothing had happened. Part of her was hurt by that, eager for some acknowledgement that the night had meant as much to him as it had to her. Another part of her chastised herself for even thinking that, reminding her that that had been what she wanted. Before they had made love, she had told him it was just a way to help them satisfy a mutual need, to help them relax. While desire filled his eyes and was mirrored in hers, she had repeatedly emphasized that she did not want that night to change their relationship, ruin the friendship they had. He had assured her that it wouldn't, and he had been true to his word. How could she then fault him?

Mulder closed the car door after her and walked quickly around to the driver's side, trying to ignore the butterflies in his stomach. It wasn't like this was a date or anything. They were just going out to spend some of the Bureau's money, money they had earned over 7 years of blood, sweat, and tears. Sliding into the driver's side, he tried to block the hot images of their night together from his mind.

"Sooo. ..," his voice came out hoarser than he had hoped, and he was forced to clear his throat before continuing. "Where to?"

"Want to go see a movie?" Scully grinned widely and evilly, lighting up her whole face. He felt his heart jump as he groaned loudly, unable to stop himself from smiling to match hers. She was heart breakingly beautiful when she smiled. Here, in close proximity to her, he was reminded of how feminine she really was. Her soft, delicate features, her scent. When caught up in a case, he sometimes forgot that, consumed by his demons and obsessions. Now, sitting beside her in the car, with an evening stretching out before them, he was hyper aware of it.

Reaching into her purse, Scully drew out the Bureau credit card, waving it in front of his eyes. "At least money is no object," she giggled.

"How about grabbing something to eat then?" Mulder asked, starting the car and slowly putting it into gear. "We could go to that fancy place down by the beach you pointed out last time we were in town."

Scully considered that, biting her lower lip as she thought. Mulder fought the urge to reach over and capture that bottom lip between his. "No, that's okay. I know that's not really your scene, even if it is Bureau subsidized. How about McReedy's?

Mulder let his eyes drift softly from her face, down the soft curve of her neck, then slowly scan over the rest of her body, stopping briefly on her legs as they peeked out from under her dress. Involuntarily, she felt herself flush.

"What???"

"You're dressed a little fancy for McReedy's Scully."

"Well so are you!"

"I want to be able to enjoy my meal, not have to worry about pulling drunk bankers off you all night."

Scully laughed and Mulder was again stunned by her beauty. She had a piece of shiny red hair dangling in front of one eye, and he had to stop himself from reaching over and brushing it out of her eyes, letting the back of his finger trail over the soft porcelain skin of her face. She saved him from having to fight the urge for long by brushing it away herself and gracing him with another gorgeous smile.

"Okay Mulder. McReedy's it is.'


	2. Marveling

Chapter 2 – "Just Marveling at Mankind's Ignorance"

The air was cool and the breeze salty as Mulder and Scully strolled slowly beside the ocean, reveling in that special contentedness that comes only after consuming a huge meal at someone else's expense. Despite the cool breeze, Mulder's arm felt warm where Scully's brushed against it. The beach was almost deserted, save a few blankets where young lovers were curled up, looking into the darkness over the ocean. Scully had taken her shoes off, fingers hooked lazily in the straps as she gently swung them by her side. Mulder had taken off his tie and loosened the buttons on his dress shirt, exposing the soft skin of his neck and collarbone. Anyone looking at them from afar would think they were a couple in love, enjoying a romantic walk along the beach. Only they knew that the connection ran so much deeper than simple love.

As they walked, Mulder marveled at the comfort he felt with Scully. There was never a need to say anything, never an uncomfortable silence. He longed to reach over and take her hand, but feared he would be pushing his luck. She had reached for him once today already. Another tender gesture like that would put them in territory they had been avoiding for 7 years. Still, he couldn't stop himself from glancing over at her wistfully as she gazed out at the ocean. The moonlight glinted off her hair and he wished vehemently that he was not red-green color blind. He ached to see her hair glowing like fire, as Frohike claimed it did. He knew instinctively that she was deep in thought; he wished with all his heart he knew about what. She always kept him guessing; he loved that about her. There were plenty of beautiful women out there, but her amazing mind made her the sexiest one he had ever come across.

In that moment, out there beside the black ocean, accented by moonlight, Mulder suddenly felt a pang of sadness stab at his stomach. God help him, he loved her. All of her. This wasn't new knowledge – no revelation or epiphany. He had known it for years, but in that moment the hopelessness of the situation sunk in, crashing through him like a wave. He stopped walking suddenly, rendered breathless by emotion. He turned away, not wanting Scully to see his face, not wanting to give anything away. He knew he couldn't have her. Not all of her, the way he wanted to. Her body, mind, and soul. That was not what she wanted. She was willingly to share her mind with him daily and gave him her body once. But her heart was so much harder to access. And that is what he truly wanted.

"Mulder?" Scully's voice jolted him back into the present. She stood a few feet ahead of him, brows furrowed, blue eyes coated with concern. "You okay?'

Shaking his head as if to clear cobwebs and pushing down his emotion, he swallowed hard and started walking again. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine." He strode past her, studiously avoiding her eyes. She frowned after him, but held her tongue. He didn't look fine. He looked as if he had seen a ghost. With Mulder, you just never knew. Perhaps he had.

Scully trotted a few steps to catch up with Mulder and they resumed their silent walk. Ahead, looming in the darkness, lay an old wooden boardwalk, lording over the sea. A seabird sat quietly, watching the two friends approach, flying off only when they ascended the creaking stairs. Mulder went straight to the telescope that stood at the end of the boardwalk and looked out over the ocean. He swiveled it around, pointing it up toward the dark night sky. The stars glinted back at him, and he was struck by the sheer enormity of the darkness that stretched out before him. How could anyone, seeing the sky, ever doubt that humans were not alone in this world? How could they make a joke out of the idea?

"Mulder?" Scully's voice was registering impatience as he swung the telescope around to catch her with its lens. She stood in front of him, arms crossed, squinting through the darkness. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah Scully. Really. I'm fine. Just marveling at mankind's ignorance.

"Do you ever stop Mulder?"

"Stop what?" Mulder raised his eyes from the telescope, meeting hers.

"Thinking. Searching." Her eyes softened almost imperceptibly as her voice trailed off. He could see her shields wavering, but only momentarily. Her arms still remained crossed.

Mulder considered her comment for a moment before slowly shaking his head.

"No. If I did, I think I would die."

Scully looked at him thoughtfully, her arms slowly sliding down by her side, her frown smoothing out.

"I know that. Don't know why I even asked." She looked away, and for a moment Mulder imagined he could see vulnerability there. It made him want to cross the space between them and pull her into his arms. But she quickly turned away from him and walked forward, leaning against the wooden railing at the end of the boardwalk. Just like that, the walls were back up. When she spoke, he could barely hear her over the noise of the water below them. "It's just, sometimes, you seem so sad. I wonder if letting go might bring you at least some peace."

"There will be no peace until I uncover the truth Scully. You know that too. Until the people who need to be are brought to justice." Slowly, Mulder walked to the end of the boardwalk, leaning on the uneven wooden railing beside her, their shoulders touching lightly. At first, she wouldn't look at him, but eventually she turned her head just slightly, her words a breath almost lost in the wind.

"Will there be peace even then?"

Startled by her insight, Mulder's eyes caught on hers. He searched for something to say, anything that might assure her that someday he would find peace. But he could think of nothing. Instead, he found himself lost in her eyes. Their blue was so deep, and they shone with such intelligence. He had lost track of how long he had been staring at her until he saw her eyebrows raise, eyes widening with questions.

"Mulder???"

"You're beautiful." The admission tumbled out so quickly he couldn't catch himself. He had wanted to say it many times before, especially that night in his apartment when she had been standing in front of him, naked, looking shy and vulnerable. He had had more success keeping it to himself then. The sex that night wasn't supposed to mean anything. It was supposed to be devoid of emotion. Friends with benefits. Telling her she was beautiful would have dangerously smeared that line.

The shock on Scully's face following this admission lasted until she averted her eyes, turning and walking a few steps away. Mulder cursed his emotionality, his inability to control his thoughts, to hide his feelings. Now he had frightened her, pushed her away.

As Scully walked those few steps down the boardwalk, her heart thumped loudly in her chest and butterflies raced through her stomach. Warmth flooded her body and she thanked the dark for covering her blush. She knew it was wrong to feel this way. A romantic relationship with Mulder would never work. If they stepped over the line and started one, it wouldn't be possible to separate lover from partner, no matter how hard they tried. It would, despite best intentions, affect their professional relationship and performance. The problem was, at that moment, she was having an extremely hard time caring. He had told her she was beautiful. Not words that the "Ice Queen" of the FBI often heard.

"Scully . . . ," Mulder's voice was laced with apprehension as she turned to look at him. His face mirrored that apprehension, his features contorted with a pained look. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I . . .," his voice faded and he shrugged, holding out his hands as if that would help the words come to him. When they didn't, he shook his head and looked at her pleadingly.

Unconsciously, Scully found herself walking over to him, heart beating faster with each step. She stopped when she stood directly in front of him, the distance between them only inches. She looked up into his warm eyes, finding a sadness there that tugged at her heart. His eyes dropped to her lips, and she knew he was fighting the urge to kiss her. She allowed her eyes to drop to his lips as well, remembering the softness of his New Year's kiss and the heated ones they shared that night in his apartment. The heat emanating between them wiped out any chill in the air as her eyes slid further to the open collar of his shirt, taking in the soft skin there. In her mind's eye, she flashed back to that night, the feeling of his strong abs under her hands, his lithe runner's body moving over her. Her mouth suddenly felt dry, and she licked her lips self consciously, an action that Mulder's eyes followed closely.

Raising her eyes, she slowly tilted her head up and stood on her tiptoes, her face inches from his. Surprisingly, he didn't lower his head down to meet her, and for a moment, Scully felt a flash of panic. Did he want to kiss her, or not? He was standing completely still and although she looked deep into his eyes, she could not get a firm grasp on his feelings. She hesitated a moment longer, praying for a sign, but none came either way. In that moment, Dana found herself uncharacteristically letting her emotions guide her. Reaching up a little further, she gently brushed her lips against his. Mulder's breath caught in his throat loudly and that was all the encouragement Scully needed, leaning into him and pressing her lips more firmly against his as her hands slipped up into his hair.

As his arms slid around her waist and held her tight against him, Mulder tried to keep his cool. In the heat of her mouth and body however, it was virtually impossible. He hadn't wanted to respond too eagerly, too forcefully, but he couldn't help it. He pulled her firmly against him, a chant of "Slow, slow, slow" resonating through his brain but apparently not making its way to his hands or the rest of him. Slowly she opened her mouth, softly placing her tongue against his lips. He responded gently, still trying to restrain himself. Moving one hand up into her hair, leaving the other against the small of her back, he kissed her passionately. His blood was pounding in his ears and his body was responding very obviously. Embarrassed, he drew back a bit, breaking the kiss. What she did to him was completely unreal, unlike anything he had ever experienced before. Gently he rested his forehead against hers and tried to steady his ragged breathing. He moved his hands down to cup her face, running his thumbs gently over the corners of her mouth.

"Scully?" he whispered, his eyes brimming with questions.

She hesitated only a moment before whispering "Let's go back to the hotel."


	3. Forget Reticulans

Chapter 3 – Forget Reticulans

It was a familiar dance, but to very different music.

Mulder and Scully walked side by side down the hotel corridor, keeping a prudent distance between them as they did so well. Regardless of what happened, there were appearances to keep. Subconsciously, ever the skilled investigator, Mulder's eyes scanned the hallway, taking in the creamy carpet patterned with gold and red triangles and the stunning faux mahogany doors that stood at attention every few feet. While that information did indeed register in his brain, had anyone questioned him about what he saw, he would not have been able to tell them. His conscious mind was too full of thoughts and images of the silent, stunning redhead walking beside him.

How many times before had this exact scene played out? How many times had they walked side by side down a hotel hallway, silent, each lost in their own thoughts? Hundreds at least, possibly thousands. Although the scene was the same, the thoughts were drastically different. Normally, they both would have been mulling over an investigation, Mulder cataloguing signs of the paranormal while Scully reviewed the hard facts she had discovered on the autopsy table. They would have bid each other goodnight when they arrived at their respective rooms, slipping in and closing the door quickly, as if afraid that were the door left open too long, temptation would sneak in. Tonight, temptation had the upper hand and was waiting for them.

Scully's room was the closest. Mulder, lost in thought, nearly crashed straight into her when she stopped to slide her keycard in. To keep himself steady, he leaned against the door jam with one hand while the other hid in his pocket, jingling the car keys nervously. The musical tinkle of keys was the only sound audible in the hall, but Mulder was sure had anyone walked by they would have been able to hear his heart pounding too.

With a click, the little light on the keycard slot flashed from red to green and the door unlocked. Mulder almost chuckled aloud at the irony. The door was an enabler, changing to green, giving them the "go ahead" to engage in activities they both wanted and feared at the same time. Had the light remained red, the night could potentially have turned out much different.

Scully hesitated as she pushed down the handle, opening the door just a crack before stopping. Her intake of breath was sharp as she turned slowly to look at Mulder.

"Want to come in?" The words flew out of her mouth easier than she knew they should have.

Now it was Mulder's turn to hesitate. He looked deep into her eyes, searching intently for a sign, any sign, of uncertainty. If he found any, he had a way out. He did not want her to do something she did not really want to do. But his search was in vain. There was no hesitation reflected in the bottomless blue pools of her eyes, only ripples of desire. Before he knew what he was doing, he found himself nodding.

Scully pushed the door open further and entered the tiny foyer, flicking on the light as she went. The air conditioner hummed quietly in the background as Mulder followed her, closing the door behind them. The room was small but warm, full of creams and browns, and the parallels to Scully were not lost on Mulder. He instantly flashed back to how soft Scully had felt that night in his arms, how creamy her skin was under his fingers, how she had responded to his slightest touch. Forget reticulans. The greatest mystery to him at that moment was why he was fortunate enough to have the chance to touch her like that again.

Tossing the keycard on the small dresser, Scully paused for a moment as she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Her hair was mussed and her cheeks flushed, thanks to a combination of the cool ocean breeze and his warm hands. As she looked into her own eyes, her rational side began forcing its way up through the haze of desire, struggling to break the surface. Was she really going to do this again? Once she could chalk up to hormones and a lapse in mental judgment, but twice? That was far harder to justify to anyone, including herself.

For a moment, Scully's resolve wavered. But when she turned to look at Mulder, still standing uncertainly by the door, her heart melted. He looked so nervous, so concerned, that she wanted to go to him and hold him. She smiled inwardly, remembering their first night together, how he had kept asking if she was okay, if he was hurting her. She was small, and he was . . . well . . . . not small, not in any way. It had hurt a bit, but his concern for her had dulled any physical pain and made her fall even further in love with him. Now, seeing him standing there awkwardly, looking as if he didn't know whether to run to her or away, she felt such love for him that her heart almost burst.

His eyes tracked her movement as she came to stand in front of him, her eyes on his face. He stood motionless as her hands slid up his arms, over his shoulders, and slipped underneath his suit jacket. She slowly pushed it off his shoulders and slid it down his arms, reversing the path her hands had travelled seconds earlier. It fell to the floor with a muffled thump. Her hands smoothly moved to his abs, brushing lightly over them before sliding back up over his chest, feathering over his pectoral muscles, stopping only when her fingers met the smooth buttons on his dress shirt. She undid one, then another, then another, exposing the light soft hair that covered his upper chest. Leaning forward, she kissed the newly exposed skin lightly. Mulder trembled slightly under her touch and she felt a rush of anticipation that nearly bowled her over.

As she reached for another button, the anticipation was brought to a brutal halt. Mulder suddenly and almost violently stepped back, his shirt pulling out of reach of her fingers, his hands moving up to grab her wrists. She gasped, frightened by his sharp movements, her eyes flying up to meet his. The fear drained quickly however when she noted the softness of his molten eyes.

"Scully . . ." his voice cracked when he was finally able to find it. He released her wrists gently and moved his hands up to cup her face. "I'm sorry. I can't . . . . I can't do this."

Shocked and embarrassed, Scully pulled away from his touch, reversing so quickly that she backed straight into the corner of the dresser. She yelped and winced instinctively, rubbing the spot that the sharp corner had poked her. Mulder stepped forward quickly, concern etched on his face once more, but he didn't reach for her. The spot did sting, but not nearly as much as his rejection.

Anger bubbled in her stomach, just enough to numb the pain in her heart for a moment. When she turned to look at him, her eyes flashed white hot fire. "Well thanks for letting it go on as long as it did. You gave me plenty of time to sufficiently embarrass myself." Scully's voice took on a brittle, bitter tone and Mulder knew instantly that the walls that had crumbled seconds earlier had been rebuilt.

"Scully." His voice was as soft as a down blanket as he strode over to her, catching her arm and turning her to face him. At first he thought she might push him physically away, but when she turned there was resignation in her eyes bordered by a ring of tears. She crossed her arms over her chest but maintained eye contact, biting her lip hard in an effort, as Mulder knew from years of experience, to keep herself from crying.

"It's not that I don't want to. Lord knows, I really REALLY want to. But I just can't. I can't have sex with you and not have it mean anything." He blurted this confession out quicker than he meant to, and reflexively he kicked himself. His true feelings were not coming out right, but the look of hurt and rejection on her face was urging him to rush on, get it all out, help her see that it was because he loved her that he couldn't make love to her tonight. As weird as that sounded.

"Scully, having sex with you would be simple. Being friends with benefits would be easy. But that is what makes it wrong. Nothing is simple about you, about US. You are wonderfully, amazingly complex, that is one of the things I love about you. We have this incredible connection that is everything BUT simple. It is a disservice to everything we are to pretend that it is "just sex"." His voice lowered to a near whisper, a tone she recognized. He had used it when he talked to her about her cancer, when he was trying to soften a blow, when he was about to share something with her that would rock the foundation of her world. "I'm sorry Scully, but I can't pretend anymore. I don't want to wake up in the morning and have you gone." Reaching over, he tucked an errant strand of hair behind her ear. "We are either partners AND a real couple, and we trust ourselves to be able to walk that line, or we are just partners. No more casual sex."

Slowly, he leaned over, kissing her cheekbone gently and working his way over to her ear. His whispered "I'm sorry" was so low she could barely hear it. His words were still ricocheting around her mind as he pulled away, smiled sadly, and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him with a soft click.


	4. Partners, in every possible way

*Warning: Mature Content*

Chapter 4 – Partners, in every possible way

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

The cream wall was cool against Mulder's shoulders as he stood leaning back against it in the tiny foyer of his hotel room. Letting out a huge sigh, he tilted his head back and stared at the ceiling as the self-flagellations continued mercilessly.

Stupid, stupid, stupid! Mulder chastised himself internally, rubbing his eyes as the implications of his recent actions really began to sink in. "What the hell is wrong with me?" he wondered harshly, shaking his head in disgust. Although it made sense at the time, he now could not comprehend why he had just passed up the chance to spend the night with a beautiful woman he loved, enjoying incredible sex, warm and happy in her embrace. Not only that, he had hurt her with his rejection. Furious with himself, he banged his head back against the wall with a dull thud. He really was not a credit to men everywhere.

A knock on the door startled Mulder so badly that he jumped almost to the ceiling. Reaching forward, he grabbed the handle and swung the door open, revealing Scully standing in the hallway with a sheepish look on her face. Smiling crookedly, she held out Mulder's suit jacket.

"You forgot this." Wordlessly, Mulder reached for it but she side stepped him, pushing past him into the room and tossing it on the plaid couch on the far side of the oak dresser.

"Thanks." he said, watching her face carefully, trying to identify the emotion currently residing there. "Look, Scully . . ." he started, but once again found his vocabulary drying up as he looked into her eyes. His tongue felt heavy and unwieldy in his mouth. She deserved better than him, he knew it, but it was taking all he had not to grab her and kiss her hard on the mouth.

"Mulder, it's okay," Scully saved him from having to stumble through his explanation again with a wave of her hand. "I get it. I really do. And . . ." she paused momentarily, running a finger along the smooth surface of the dresser. Eventually she raised her eyes to look at him, and there was a happiness there that Mulder saw so very rarely in his beautiful partner and soul mate. "And I feel the same way."

Mulder felt his heart leap in time with her words. Instinctively, he moved toward her, but she held up her hands, stopping him in his tracks. "I need you to know that it was never just sex to me either. No matter how hard I tried, I could not distance myself from it, from you. But Mulder, I'm scared. I don't know how we will do it. Partners, in every possible way? How will we keep our work life separate from our personal life? How will we manage it?" As Scully babbled on nervously, Mulder crossed the distance between them until he had her back up against the wall. She instantly stopped talking, breathless from the proximity of his heat.

"I don't know how we will do it either Scully, I really don't." Gently, he lowered his mouth to her ear, kissing just below the earlobe in a move that made her tremble. "But let's at least give it a try." He moved his mouth over her and kissed her passionately, his hands moving up to tangle in her hair. He pressed himself against her, trapping her against the wall, and the feel of her body almost drove him crazy. She moaned softly and arched her back, pressing her pelvis against him. He reached down, pushed up her dress and grabbed the back of her thighs, lifting her up and wrapping her legs around his waist as he held her against the wall. She kissed him back with such an intense urgency that he could barely think straight. His hormones drowned out the inner voice that was frantically reminding him to take it slow.

Mulder spun around, carrying Scully over to the couch and laying down on top of her. She ran her hands up and down his back while her legs slid up and down his calves sensually. He pressed her into the couch cushions, holding her hips down and kissing her hard on the mouth. Smoothly, his hand slid up her dress, tickling the inside of her thighs as his mouth covered hers, tasting her, increasing her passion exponentially.

When his fingers brushed against the soft material of her panties, Mulder broke the kiss and looked down at Scully's beautiful body. Shifting his weight to the side and sliding down her body, he kissed and nibbled at her knees gently as her hand slid encouragingly up into his hair. The sight of her simple black lace panties made his body respond in a way he didn't think possible before now.

Scully held her breath as Mulder's fingers traced the waistband of her panties, his ragged breathing matching hers. In that moment, she wanted both of them naked so badly it physically hurt. She wanted to feel him inside her again. Moaning quietly, she lifted her hips slightly and whispered his name.

Mulder needed no further encouragement, moving his hand into her panties and gently sliding them down her legs and off, tossing them on the floor carelessly. She lay there beneath him, feeling vulnerable and exposed, but never afraid. He let his fingers trace around between her legs, teasing her, exploring softly in a way that made the room go blurry. The anticipation was getting so intense she couldn't sit still. She rocked back and forth in the soft cream cushions, enjoying the exquisite sensations that his fingers were evoking. He truly was a skilled investigator, no doubt about that.

Suddenly he moved back over her, his mouth coming down hard on hers, smothering her. Her legs wrapped around him instinctively and she moaned into his mouth, which drove him to kiss her even harder. Sliding her hands down his back, she yanked his dress shirt out of his pants, running her carefully French manicured fingernails down his back. He gasped a little, arching away from her fingers, but closing his eyes with pleasure. His body strained against his clothes as his mind kept chanting "slow slow slow" over and over again.

Mulder's hands roamed over her smooth legs and butt, teasing, kneading, stroking as she pulled at the buttons on his shirt until it was loose enough he could pull it over his head and toss it on the floor, the white a sharp contrast against her previously discarded jet black panties. When he straightened to pull off his shirt, her hand immediately went to the buckle on his belt, undoing it and pushing down his pants, revealing a pair of silky soft boxers. He stood up, kicking off his pants and trying to catch his breath. As he looked down at her, his heart swelled with love. She looked strangely innocent, laying there on the couch with her dress pushed up, naked from the waist down.

After admiring her for a moment, Mulder took Scully's hands and helped her stand, turning her around so her back was pressed against his chest. He buried his face in her shoulder, inhaling the sweet scent of her shampoo, letting his hands roam her body gently. She leaned back against him, tilting her head, giving him full access to her neck, which he nibbled at softly while his hand cupped one of her breasts through her dress.

"Mulder, please," she whispered, the anticipation building to an unbearable level as he caressed her.

She almost groaned in disappointment as he stepped back, removing his hands from her body, but was soon placated when she felt his fingers on the zipper of her dress, slowly moving it down, the sound of it harsh in the relative quiet of the room. Once he had the zipper all the way down, he left the dress hanging on her body for a moment as he stepped back in, kissing her shoulder blades and then finding the sensitive spot at the back of her neck that, when he had kissed it the first time, had rewarded him with a full body shudder and a moan of pleasure. He was not disappointed this time either. Gently, he slid the straps of her black dress off her shoulders, letting it slide down her body and pool around her feet. As she stepped out of it, he noted with a wave of pleasure that she was not wearing a bra.

"You really are so beautiful Scully," Mulder whispered as he wrapped his arms around her from behind again. She looked back and smiled at him, taking his hands and leading him over to the bed. She let go only long enough to crawl onto the bed, looking so delicious framed by the patterned comforter. She was so tiny, tiny and taut. He stood for a moment, appreciating her body, before sliding his boxers down and standing before her naked. He lowered himself on her gently, admiring her tiny frame, enjoying the feel of her warm, sticky, sweaty skin against his.

"Please," Scully pleaded again, thrusting herself up against him. He groaned and tried to gather himself, leaning forward and burying his face in her hair. He was already close, just from the anticipation of the final act, and he hadn't even entered her yet. He kissed his way up from her hair, caressing her earlobe, kissing her neck, then moving along her jaw bone and over her chin, skipping her mouth, kissing each of her eyes before letting his forehead rest against hers. Once he felt sufficiently in control, he opened his eyes and positioned himself over her. He wanted to watch her face while he entered her.

Gently, Mulder used his legs to separate hers. She was trembling with anticipation, her hands stroking his strong abs, her chest heaving up and down. As he lowered himself, his eyes bore into hers, alert for any signs of pain, and praying for signs of pleasure.

Mulder loved the way that he could easily find the right spot with Scully. He wasn't a skilled lover by any stretch, having been too 'spooky' to get a lot of attention from the opposite sex while growing up. But he had had enough lovers to know that it could be really awkward as they fumbled together to find the right spot. With Scully, it hadn't been an issue. He found the right spot with ease, entering her deeply, aroused intensely by the look of pleasure on her face as he did so. Her eyes were closed, her head tilted back, her mouth parted slightly. He went in as far as he could go and, suddenly realizing he had been holding his breath, let it out with a loud whoosh. God, she fit him perfectly. Again he found himself needing to lay still and collect himself as he adjusted to the sensation of being inside her. When he opened his eyes, she was watching him carefully.

"You okay?' she whispered, running a hand softly over his face.

"Better than okay," he breathed. "Just trying to make this last longer than thirty seconds." She laughed softly, letting her fingers trail over his lips, tracing them. "How about you? Am I hurting you? Does this feel okay?"

"Better than okay," she smiled. Slowly, he started to swivel his hips, and she let out a gasp of pleasure with each movement. The sensations were so intense and she was so tight that his entire body began to tremble and sweat dripped slowly down his spine.

"How about we aim for 45 seconds?" he gasped between thrusts. She managed a small laugh before being silenced by a wave of pleasure as he pushed hard into her. She closed her eyes and dug her nails into his shoulder, each thrust taking her deeper and deeper until she lost any concept of where she was. Any hesitations she may have had were now miles away. As his movements sped up, she found herself lost in the pleasure, tightening her legs around him, intensifying the sensations until she could not take it any longer and she felt herself slip over the edge into a long, slow, languid orgasm, breathing his name over and over.

Mulder felt her respond under him and it nearly drove him crazy. He increased the frequency and depth of his thrusts, pushing deeper and more intently, burying his face into her shoulder, grunting with the effort, taking in the scent of her, the taste of her salty skin against his lips. Quickly the pressure built to an unbearable level and Scully felt him shudder over her, push himself in as far as she could take him, and then empty inside her, mumbling her name before collapsing, spent, on top of her. Scully smiled peacefully, stroking his hair, enjoying the gift he had left inside of her, a gift that not even when he withdrew could be taken away. He had given her so much that no one could take away really, and she loved him for that.

It took close to a minute before Mulder stirred and moved off of her, still breathing thickly. He lay down beside her, letting his hand rest lazily on her belly, tracing circles aimlessly. Scully almost giggled when she realized that the formation of the circles closely resembled crop circles. Even after incredible sex, Mulder was still Mulder.

He caught her smile and couldn't stop himself from smiling in return as he leaned forward and lazily kissed her shoulder. "You are so amazing," he whispered, closing his eyes and laying his head down on his pillow, exhausted.

He had almost drifted off to sleep when her voice made him stir.

"Mulder?"

"Mmmmmmm?"

Curling up against him and wrapping her arm around his waist, Scully hid her smile in the soft hair of his chest. "Just for the record, that was totally incredible, but my heart still belongs to Associate Producer Skinner."

The timbre of Mulder's laughter could be heard echoing all the way down the hall.

END


End file.
